HPV has received considerable attention due to its role in human cancer. In particular, HPV is known to be the causative agent of a number of epithelial cancers, most notably cervical cancer, a leading cause of death for women worldwide. HPV is associated with more than 95% of all cervical cancers, the leading cause of cancer deaths of woman in developing countries due to high HPV infection rates and lack of comprehensive cervical Pap smear testing of susceptible women.
HPV infection has also been implicated to have a causative role in about 20% of head and neck cancers, the majority of anal and vaginal cancers, and about 50% and 35% of vulvar and penile cancers, respectively. There are over 200 HPV genotypes known, and they fall under two general forms: low-risk and high-risk, which cause benign and malignant lesions, respectively. Two prophylactic vaccines are currently available, Gardasil™ and Cervarix® vaccines, which help prevent against infection by the low risk HPV types 6 and 11 and high risk HPV types 16 and 18. While these vaccines target HPV types that cause more than 90% of genital warts and cervical cancer, they have no therapeutic utility, i.e., they cannot treat existing infection. Furthermore, the effectiveness and longevity of these vaccines will not be known for decades, further warranting a need for therapeutics.
What is needed in the art are treatment options for patients infected with oncoviruses, such as HPV.